Manufacture of artificial-fuel blocks.



Patented March 22, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM Y. CRUIKSHANK, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO NIXON MALEY, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL-FUEL BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,278, dated March22, 1904.

Application filed February 6, 1903. Serial No. 142,161. (No specimens.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Y. CRUIK- SHANK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Freeland, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Manufacture of ArtificialFuel Blocks, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of artificial-fuel blocks; andit consists in the improved process of manufacture hereinafterdescribed.

The object of this invention is to produce an artificial-fuel block inwhich the principal constituent is anthracite culm, which shall be cheapin manufacture, which will form a satisfactory fuel, and which may bekept indefinitely after preparation.

The manner of manufacturing my improved fuel compound is as follows: Theculm in a slightly-damp but not wet state is thoroughly mixed with twoper cent. of resin-dust, and to that'mixture is then added andthoroughly incorporated therewith four per cent. of asphalt diluted withbenzin or other suitable solvent to about the consistency of cream. Theproduct is then pressed in hot dies of suitable size and. shape untilthe moisture present in the culm and the solvent of the asphalt haveboth become vaporized and the resin-dust has been melted. The blocks offuel compound formed in this way are then allowed to cool, and themelted resin hardens and forms with the asphalt means for impartingsolidity and firmness to the mass.

The dies between which the blocks of fuel compound are pressed arepreferably heated by steam to prevent ignition of the compound or thesolvent of the asphaltwhich is vaporized during. this portion of theprocess; but,

if preferred, the mixture can be pressed between cool dies and afterwardheated in a kiln or other suitable heater to evaporate the moisture andsolvent and melt the resin.

The object of mixing the resin-dust with moist culm is to insure anintimate mixture of the particles and adhesion of the resin-dust to theculm. Before the asphalt is mixed with the previously-formed mixture ofresin-dust and culm it is reduced to the consistency of cream in orderto insure its perfect incorporation with the other ingredients.

The fuel compound resulting from the mixture and subsequent treatment ofthe substances above mentioned contains ahigh percentage ofanthracitercoal culm, and hence there is but little smoke. It containsno ingredient that undergoes destructive decomposition. It retains theform imparted to the composition by pressure in the dies and is in everyrespect a satisfactory fuel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The process of making artificial-fuel blocks, consisting in thoroughlyintermingling, in suitable proportions, slightly-moist anthracite-coalculm and dry pulverized resin, incorporating with the mixture a quantityof asphalt rendered fluid by means of a volatile solvent, thensubjecting the product in suitable masses to the simultaneous action ofheat and pressure until the moisture and the solvent of the asphalt havebeen vaporized and the resin has been melted.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

W. Y. CRUIKSHANK.

Witnesses:

G, MALEY, CHAS. ORION STROH.

